but to cut off prolixity Psal 108 1. Luke 10. ult I shal rather convert the former ten particulars with the like into some spiritual Soliloquies since all of them exhibit some excellent benefits flowing from Christ alluring the soul to him as by the smell of those precious ointments wherewith he was affused and inaugurated into all his offices by the Holy Ghost which was signified by the inunction of the Aaronieal Priesthood of old in type by a choice composition of myrrhe or Benzoin cinamon sweet calamus cassia lignea Exod. 30.24 and oil-olive So was our holy Lord conse crated a Priest for ever over the house of God. Psal 45.7 Let us now breathe out our warm desires and flowing hopes in some few Ejaculations as to all the ten particulars into his own bosom The Soliloquies 1 O Blessed Lord I am scorchd and burnt up with the sense of thy wrath the thunders of thy Law amaze my soul Death and Eternity make my bexes to quake Psal 22.15.119.13 I am dryed like a pot-sheard or as a bottle in smoke Vox faucibus haeret my tongue is ready to cleave to the roof of my mouth But I come to thee as a gracious Saviour inviting calling promising to help me in those fainting agonies I thirst after thee as the fountain of Siloam and more than David after the water of Bethlehem 2. I faint and my soul quivers upon my pale lips nay is upon the wing to take flight into eternâ—ty I look up for some reviving smiles from the light of thy countenance Do thou look down O blessed Lord with one beam of mercy and it cures me for ever speak Lord for my soul waits to hear that peace which is the fruit of thy lips Psal 45.2 and that grace which was poured out into them O let me not faint nor sink into the dust of death and perish for ever For I have chosen to exhale my soul into thy bosom and dye at thy feet These are the sweet ardours of Faith. 3. Now then since I am come to thee O my blessed Saviour and that with my whole soul and come at the call of thy Word and Spirit For I heard thy voice in the woods of the wilderness and am returned to lie down at thy foot shall the hungry go emty away from the feast of such a Solomon Thou didst invite me by thy Ministers in many a choice calling Sermon and I made no excuse Luke 1.53 Prov 9.3 though too much delay so speaks my sorow yet the feet of those who brought the glad tidings of thy love were to me more beautiful and enamouring than the ruddy morning 4. Moreover O searcher of Reins thou knowest that I am inwardly willing to receive thee upon all the terms in thy holy Gospel signified by thy heavenly call since then my bended will inclines its bowing head towards thy bosom and my whole soul cries after thee since my hands are stretcht out towards thy holy place and my parched mouth wide open to receive that Nectar of heaven the waters of life O fail not â—he expectation of the needy that commits his soul to thee be not silent to my cries Psal 40.2 that ascend out of the deep and dark pit and from the horrible clay 5. Thou hast O Saviour full of bowels given strength to my feet and restored the nerves and sinews that hung shriveld about my anckle bones as thou didst to the cripple at the Temple-gate so deal with me thy Lazarus that 's spiritually lame and full of fores Acts 3.7 yet limps towards the throne of grace the Temple of mercy Strengthen my hands O Lord that I may as firmly take hold of thy love as I am freely come to thee for thy Salvation 6. Yea most blessed Saviour I begin to be encouraged by the warm beams of thy love and feel some vertue flowing from thee to invigorate all the muscles and tendons of my affections and whatever incites and inspirits the motive faculty of my soul so that I now most humbly and reverently beg leave and permission to lean upon thee and to lay my soul down by thee and in thy bosome to repose as far as thou shalt graciously please to admit me into thy communion for succor suâ—port and comfort 7. O stay me with flaggons for I am faint by the strong and over coming beams of divine love and yet resolved in thy strength to cleave to the arm of thy power 1 Cor. 6.17 and by the unction of thy spirit to be united into one spirit with the Lord. 8. And to embrace thy love that everlasting love which sprang from thee in thine electing mercy and pity before the world began 9. And am now become more solicitous by thine aid and help to cast all my cares upon thee then ever I was anxious and distressed as to events while those pressures caused my foul to groan out to heaven 10. I am now determined by thy power to breathe out my soul at last only into thy compassionate bosome Col. 1.11 to be kept to the day of Redemption and being strengthned with all might by thy glorious power humbly resolve to wait with all patience in the fresh actings of Faith till I see thy face in the joyful morning of the resurrection The soul having in these few panting Soliloquies poured forth its breakings of heart before God desires yet further to be resolved in one question to help its joy and therewith I shall conclude this chapter Quest How may I discern the truth and integrity of these breathings of the soul to be the true actings of Faith. Answ I answer labour to feel the pulse of thy soul as once a Greek Physitian touching the arterial pulse of a young Prince of Macedon knew whether his heart wâ—nt So may we assuredly know where our treasure is seated and where our love is planted if we find our hearts to be where Christ is set down even at the right-hand of God. But le ts reply a little more distinctly Col. 3 1 2. 1. Consider where thy soul doth most acquisce where dost thou feel thy soul at most rest and quiet He that bids his soul take ease in a fat barn was but a gross fool Luke 12.18 and he that puts his hope or trust in a clod of yellow clay bows down to a dumb Idol that cannot profit But if as David when dying we have all our hope and salvation in the covenant of a living God 2 Sam. 23. establisht to us in all things and sure If thou repose thy weary spirits in the bosome of Christ and findest thy lingring weariness to wear away in the warm bath of his Love and resignest thy self into his tuition and under the canopy of heaven and exercising thy self in applying precious promises suitable to thy captive state by the rivers of Babylon and patiently waitest for his bright and blessed appearance and Kingdom
the learned judg in answer to Anacreon in the 32 verse of his atheistical rhyme much like Horace and other Epicurean Ballad makers who often push at one another with scoffs and jeers Nay far better men then they some of the good fathers of the primitive times in the Apologies made in defence of the christian-church bring in multitudes of Testimonies out of Heathen writers against their Pagan Idolatries Superstitions Atheisms Persecutions and the vain boasts of the antiquity of their shamefull dunghil Deities which matter is obvious in the writings of Origen against Celsus Clemens Alexandrinus in his stromata Minutius Faelix Arnokius against the Gentiles Austin in his book of the city of God and Learned Jerâ—m in many of his Epistles and commentaries Let us then determine this point from what proceeds in the arguments assâ—meâ— from Oracles and Miracles Gelas Cizenes hist Niceâ— council nnd many other grounds briefly touched above that they are the very Word of God but particularly by their converting power upon the Soul commanding reverence and trembling and horror into the conscience both of men and Devils as they did upon the Spirit of that Petulant Philosopher in the council of Nice Nay so terrible is the weight of these Truths upon the Souls of some fleering atheists that they are forced sometimes to Hobbianize that is tremble to be in the darkâ— as he did at the Lord of Devonshires being afraid to walk abroad without Mastiffs or Pistols and how much more was he appaled at the approach of death Whereas on the other side how often have we seen with joy and delight this blessed Word of God to have comforted many a soul in the greatest conflicts and agonies of death whence it follows that these effects must be the issue of divine power that these writings are indeed the very Word of the holy God since no other books or preachings do or can so rouze and startle the proud conscience of man. Insomuch that else we might justly wonder what the man ails that is so tormented his heart raging like the troubled Sea till the Allablaster box of fragrant oyntment be opened out of the promises and the balsome when poured into a scalded and wounded spirit immediately asswages its pain and sinks the blisters which all the Divines and holy Orators in the world could never do till the presence of God stampt idea's of mercy and comfort speaking peace to the Soul. Whence we may sweetly infer that no other books can be received with any powerful convictive authority but where in they agree with the tenor and canon of holy Scriptures so that whoever walks according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be on him mercy as on the Israel of God. I shall then finish this first Chapter with that inference for which those mediums were brought That since Faith in Christ Jesus is the very scope and design the very sum and substance of the whole Scripture it follows that the acting of Faith upon them as the Doctrinal Object of such divine original is grounded on the holiness and truth of the omnipotent and eternal God. Wherein it is impossible for him to deceive us in not fulfilling his gracious promises Heb. 6.18 to humble contrite and broken spirits that â—rust in his mercy In like manner Eph. 2.20 the acting of our Faith on the Lord Jesus as its personal object for our Justification is built on the foundation of the holy Apostles and Prophets Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Psal 87.1 laid by the Father in the holy mountains Whoever then believes not God on his Word and Promise makes him a Lyar as far as in his power which every one should Tremble to think on 1 Ioh. 5.10 because they believe not the record that God hath given of his Son. Which pertinently leads me into the second chapter about the Deity of our blessed Lord the natural and eternal Son of God. Which Doctrine being evicted and manifested layes a most sure ground for Faith to erect the Temple of Glory and will secure our tenure of Salvation inviolable like a House built upon the Rock of Ages that will endure to all Eternity CHAP. II. Of the Deity of Christ TO Prove the Doctrines of Christ to be true and perfect we must demonstrate his person to be infallible and to prove his sufferings to be satisfactory to Divine Justice there must be an infinite value in that glorious person who was graciously pleased to suffer for the sins of the Elect. If this be clear then Faith builds upon a Foundation as firm as the Being Fidelity and Constancy of a holy and gracious God This can't be better fixed but by manifesting the Deity of Christ in the glorious Messiah who appeared upon Earth in the dayes of Augustus Caesar Now if Christ be God even the natural Son of God then the most precious Blood of his sufferings by communication of idioms or properties between the two natures may be called the blood of God Acts 20.28 Heb 1.3 9 12 Rev. 1. â— 8 Hornbeck Mareius Calovius c. as it is in the Holy Scriptures For the Proof of the Deity of Christ I intend no great Enlargement but refer to those who write directly against the Socinian Heresie it concerns us only to argue a little upon this point and deduce some intermixed consequencies As to this great Subject having already accounted for the Divinity of the Scriptures we may now take leave to use them as Testimonies sent from heaven and left upon Record in the Church to prove this Truth On which very score it s commonly received from the Antients that the Apostle John wrote his Gospel against Cerinthus and other primitive Hereticks by the instigation of the Asian Churches But most certainly by the inspiration of the spirit of God. After him Athanasius of Egypt Hillary of France and Fulgentius of Africa and several others have largly and nervously handled the sword of the spirit against the Arians Let us however touch a few arguments in the case 1. The first argument may be taken from the Eternity of Christ no Being can be eternal but must be God. Our Lord was in Being from all Eternity and therefore must needs be God he had a glory with the Father before the world was Ioh. 17 5â— but let us joyn it with eternal sonship and infer that if he were the eternal son of God then he must be true God in Essence Heb. 1.3 for he must be every way the character of his Hypostasis or as we translate it the express image of his Person This Argument of Christs being God because he was the eternal son of God. The Jews very well understood its force and therefore presently argued against him of Blasphemy in assuming the honour of being God. Iohn 5.18 For to be the eternal Son of God he must be coessential with God which confession that Christ was the
own divine power Whereby he manifested his own Glory that is of his Deity As in turning Water into Wine at Cana and in raising of Lazarus he was glorified to be the Son of God Therefore the Apostle John from that and many other cases of raising the dead Joh 5 17 15 24 10 18. c. might well affirm that he had seen his glory even in the transfiguration as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Till the incarnation or rather the beginning of his Ministry the Father wrought But now sayes he I Work. He laid down the life of his Humanity Heb 1 Rom 1 4 c. rose from the dead ascended into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God by his own Divine Power Tho t is true that some of these things being sometimes ascribed to God essential and otherwhere predicated or affirmed of Christ personal do therein unite in the confirmation of his Deity who performed all these great signs that we should believe him to be the Son of God. 1 Joh. 5.13 8. Another Testimony of his glorious Deity is the pardon of sin The Pharisees saw the force of this Argument Mat. 9.3 Luk. 5.21 and blasphemously catcht at it as a great crime for arrogating to himself the honour which is alone due to the Majesty of God. But our Lord sufficiently knew the dignity of his own person tho somewhat vailed yet to the comfort of many a poor sinner and to their inestimable joy often as a God pronounced the forgiveness of their sins Nay to shew the union of his humanity with the Deity declares that the Son of Man hath power upon Earth Mat. 9.2 3. Act 5 31 Heb 1.3 as well as in Heaven to forgive sins So the Apostle to the Hebrews confirming his Godhead over and over in the same Chapter asserts that having purged away our sins by himself i. e. by his blood he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high 9. Again since contrite sinners do humbly supplicate to God for the pardon of sin we find him recorded sometimes as the direct and immediate object of Worship both from men and angels Joh 14.13 How often do we find him prayed to and worshipt by his Disciples and himself accepting all as his due Now he that receives prayer and answers it to the people of God and takes into his custody the spirits of dying Saints as he did Stephen's this person must needs be God. Nay all the Angels of God are commanded to Worship him Act 7 59 Heb 1 6 Mat 8 27 Job 38 9 at whose word the raging seas hush into their swadling bands and are quiet like a child sleeping in its cradle the boisterous winds delight to be still that they may without noise hear his delicious and heavenly voice with all silence and subjection and make a halcyon calm from Pole to Pole. 10 But to end He that is declared to be Judg of the World and to raise all persons out of their Graves by hâ—s own Imperial command to appear at his righteous Bar must not that person be God If he knew not the hearts and thoughts of all and every secret thing from his own Omniscience Eccl. 12 14 which thing is an incommunicable attribute of God he could not be Judg of quick and dead at his appearance and Kingdom To Judge the World was by the Pharisees acknowledged to be the character of a God. 2 Tim. 4 8 The high Priest therefore hearing this rents his clothes and calls it Blasphemy But why the second person having admitted the humanity into union and being head of the Church should perform this glorious work Mat 26 65 Mark 17 64 depends only upon the Oeconomy of the sacred Trinity a secret not to be irreverently peered into but adored Let 's be wise to Sobriety according to what is written and not transcend the limits at the foot of the Mount. Rom 12 3 But to draw to an issue He is also constituted Judg of Angels at that great day they must bow their coelestial knees at his Name and the evil Spirits acknowledg this while our Lord was here below Isa 45 23 Rom 14 10 11 Mat 8.29 beseeching him not to torment them before the time Now it is a work competent alone to a God to torment Spirits All the powers in heaven and earth besides cannot do it of their own vigor and force unless permitted influenced directed and managed by God in it and blessed be God for it that hath reserved the dominion of our spirits to himself alone as well as of Angels But this supremacy was acted by Christ at his pleasure from the innate power of his Deity when he cast them out as evil and unclean spirits sore against their wills and at their supplication gave them leave to go hither or thither For they are in adamantine chains and those chains in his own hand 2 Pet 2 4. and casts them into hell and looses them when he pleases There fore he who by his own power and authority in communion with the essential Godhead doth these great things Rev 20 1 2 7 must be God blessed for ever Amen I know the Socinians talk of their created God and so would sain evade the dint of Scriptures but that 's most perfect nonsence to assert two Gods and one a created God. For Infinite can be but one or else hold one to be titular as Angels and Magistrates tho in a higher Orb and Order which yet is inconsistent with the precedent Scriptural Arguments that prove our blessed Lord to be God in essence coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever Now then since this most excellent person by vertue of his sufferings in communion with his infinite Deity tho in it self impassible hath given full satisfaction to his Father for all the sins of Believers and by whom we receive the attonement Rom 3 21 5 21 Act 20 2 even through the merit of his precious blood and that hereby he is become a personal particular and immediate Object of our Faith and that by him we do believe in God the justifier of the ungodly through his righteousness and his alone Rev 22 17 Heb 9 12 Eph 5 26 Tit 2 14 1 Joh 1 7 1 Pet 1 2 Rev 8 5 Heb 9 16 and that this glorious person so graciously invites all thirsty sinners to take the water of life freely and to believe in his Name for the remission of Sins let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Now let this suffice to have written about the two great Foundations of Faith. In the first Chapter concerning the Divinity of the Scriptures And in the second in reference to the Deity of our blessed Lord which I hope
will so satisfie comfort and erect the Spirits of feeble and staggering Believers that they may the more sweetly and firmly lay the stress of their fears in life and death upon this Rock in Zion and if they will be but careful and vigilant as to holy walking and be earnest in Praver to enjoy the beautiful and Soul-refreshing influences of the Holy Spirit They may then walk safely and joyfully through the valley of the shadow of death till they arrive at the mountain of Glory And so I proceed to the second part of this Treatise about the nature and actings of Faith it self more immediate and particular PART II. Of the Nature of Faith in particular Having in the first part of this Treatise laid the precious foundation upon those two marble râ—cks the Dâ—ctrine of the Divinity of the Scriptures and the Deity of Christ which may be likened to those vast and stately fulciments which Solomon built on the sides of Mount Moriah to sustain the grandeur of the Temple I should now proceed to erect the strong hold of confidence the pleasant Palace of assurance wherein that beautiful Daughter of Zion the grace of faith sits as upon a throne of every within the Curtains of our second Solomon And this I shall endeavour in the Ten Apartiments or Chapters following Chap. 1. Of the Name and Nature of Faith. Chap. 2. The various Expressions setting out its nature Chap. 3. The lowest or least degree of saving Faith. Chap. 4. Of Justification the immediate effect of Faith. Chap. 5. Of entring into Covenant with God by Faith. Chap. 6. Of the necessary and inseparable connexion between Sanctification or holiness and Faith. Chap. 7. Of the Infirmities of Believers Chap. 8. Of assurance or joy of Eaith how attained with some clear signs Chap. 9. The danger of Vnbelief Chap. 10. The happy Fruits and benefits of Faith. And so conclude the whole with some Corollaries by the blessed leave and help of our gracious God. I intend not to enlarge very much on any but to be briefest on those where others have been copious On the second third sixth and eighth I would insist a little liberally it being my primary design to strengthen the weak believer and in courage sinking spirits beseeching them to meditate seriously on the directions for understanding the nature of Faith in the first and second and to be consciencious in their holy care of walking with God in the points prâ—scribed in the 6th chapter That so they may live more comfortably dye more sweetly and reign victoriously And now let us walk together into the first chapter by the gracious assistance of our holy and ever-blessed God. CHAP I. Of the name and nature of Faith THe Rise or Origen of this word is from the Italian Fede and that from the Latine Fides and that as some conceit from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade and that from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero in his Offices descants on the word Fides as if so term'd quia fit quod diâ—tum because we believed what is spoken or promised shall be done Our English Saxon word Believe comes from the Dutch lieven and that as 't is thought from the old provincial Latine among the Roman Colonies in those quarters Libeo Libet to list or consent to a thing with love or liking and that the word Love comes from a Teutonick word of the same extract Verloff which signifies to assent Now as one of the Ancients says consensio est volentis consent is the act of a person that is willing so to believe is to consent freely and with love to the truth of what is spoken which breeds conviction and satisfaction on the mind of man. Now the inclination of the will to believe is wrought by God and if any question why one is perswaded by God and not another Psal 119.36 Let him take his answer from holy Paul that 't is God that maketh to differ and O man who art thou that repliest against God and if that please not let the bold fellow go look another 1 Cor 4.7 Rom. 9 20. But as Austin treats him caveat presumptores c. Let him take heed of presuming in curious searches and determining the mysteries of grace and the counsels of God. Is it not abundantly enough that thy heart is softned melted inclined to cast thy self wholly on the free-grace of the New-covenant when others repelling the glorious light of the Gospel run back again to the Old Covenant of works and split themselves upon the rock of presumption expecting divine mercy without the merits of Christ and so rush upon the pikes and spears of divine justice and vengeance to their eternal ruine But to prosecute our work To Believe is to be perswaded and satisfied in our hearts and consciences of what God hath spoken and promised in the holy Scriptures On the other side to beget a confidence and trust as to what any man speaks or asserts among several Nations according to their civil municipal Laws there must intervene a proof or an ascertainment made by the instrument of a publick Notary or by trusty witnesses of the vicinage as among the Northern Nations recited in Lindebrogius c. or else by sound arguments that cannot be refelled without incurring gross absurdities as in cases of unknown Murders the wonderful providence of God doth shine forth in their discovery by such methods and probable arguments which procure an acquiescence and quietation of spirit as to the truth of the things delivered But in divine cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am sufficiently satisfied and perswaded by the meer word of God Rom. 8.38 When I am sure that God has said it I believe it for in things Divine there can be no sublimer proof then the testimony of God himself For the very being of an infinite God determines his verity and when our imperfect and lapsed reason and many times misguided by education and the secret impressions of converse from designing persons that are apostates from the truth doth thr'u pride and envy and delight in contention study to contradict and invalidate the texts of sacred Scripture Let 's remember that infinite Wisdome had it so pleased him could have amazed us with such potent arguments that might strike us dumb and muzle and astonish us as our Lord did the Pharisees at every turn God is Truth and Truth Essential the fountain of all Truth and in him is no darkness at all Not one Iota or tittle of any of his sacred words can be infringed by the least or greatest of Errors John 1.5 Whence it comes that the truths of Gods revelation are the grounds of all the firmitude and stability of our spirits which otherwise might waver Isa 7.9 2 Chron. 20.1 and wander from their constancy per avia eserti through the gloomy by-paths of error to all Eternity In the significant language of the Hebrews
Country Mind not their supercilious conceited proud reproofs and slanders spurn them away with the foot of faith and courage know thy duty and study to do it When they are in a better mood and humour and begin to repent and be humbled 1 Cor. 4.3 pity them if they desire thy pardon be as ready to forgive them else remember the divine counsel to Jeremy Let them return to thee but return not thou unto them for they are rebellious against God he will save and deliver thee Trust in him Jer. 15.19 and he will bring it to pass We are then most uneasy and usually most unsuccessful when we govern our wayes by the pride of others directions and their sayso's especially of those that ought to be guided by your self and to enquire the Law at your lips if in such a station 't is Gods Ordinance and if they be in the state of inferiors Caelo descendi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you 'l never find sweet rest till you have stept over the style of that foolish question What will they say of you Make the Word of God your rule according to the best of light and study to increase it and that in fine will bring peace and rest He that is not Tattle-proof is so far forth in the minority of his wisdom and judgment Every man is allowed judicium discretionis his judgment of discerning upon and above all the world and ought to guide his own actions by the light of his own conscience and to walk by the candle of the Lord within his own Spirit conjoyned with the light of Gods Holy Word For according to that must he answer at the great Tribunal and not for neglecting what some conceited Vsurper would impose upon his conscience Prov. 20.27 Follow the verdict of the honest Jury of the vicinage your own impartial thoughts sitting in the court of conscience illuminated to the best of your integrity and knowledg But never make other mens dictates your laws For as Solomon says every fool will be medling Prov. 20.3 and being full of words his own lips at last will ensnare and swallow up himself Turn off such proud insulting spirits with a holy disdain Eccles 10.14 verse 12. 1 Thes 4.11 and chido them home to look to their own affairs to study quietness and do their own business Mind them not turn away thine ears from such viperine mouths make them not thy compass to steer by either in Calms or Storms but let the holy Laws of God be taken in hand Psal 119.24 Let Moses David Paul and John be thy Counsellers Turn the Bible and discourse with those Divine Lawyers ask counsel at their mouth and give them thy fee of meditation and they 'l advise thee better than Papinian or Justinian and if very difficult cases rise consult Gods holy Ministers that are in being they are the present lively Oracles of heaven Job 33.23 his Interpreters to whom he reveals his secrets their digests and pandects will advise thee thorowly and let the Scriptures dwell richly in thee in all utterance and wisdom Col. 3.16 Thus shalt thou gain and maintain peace with God and with Christ the Son of God set down in his last and blessed Legacy to fortifie thy heart and compass thee with adamantine armour against a foolish quarlelsome and troublesome world Jon. 14 27. and mark such as walk disorderly and cause divisions and offences in Churches contrary to sound doctrine 2 Thes 3.6 11. avoid them and have no fellowship with such unfruitful works of darkness Rom. 16.17 Eph. 5.11 that are set on by Satan to undermine the peace and comfort of Saint◠communion such sower and rough tempers they live and dye undesired and are laid in the dust as a bundle and burden of dung unlamented but keep society with such in whose hearts the peace of God doth rule to render them both humble and thankful These are the Jewels wherein God delights while others continue troublers of Israel the Excellent Ones upon Earth with such keep thy choicest interviews till thou arrive by his safe conduct beyond both the stains of sin 2 Chron. 21.20 Jer. 16.4 and the pains of sorrow If then the blessed marks in the foregoing tract be found in thy heart and life for the main thou shalt find thy graces to bloom and flourish in these mountains of Spices Song 4.16.8.14 and in due time thy beloved will come leaping over the fragrant hills to thine excceeding joy which was presented in our Title page as the end and scope of all these lines and like a boiling spring will ascend higher and higher till it run over in the joy of full Assurance which bubbles first out of a believing heart and runs in the current of a well-spent life and flows into the joy of a blessed death and then your soul being perfumed with the odoriferous ointments and spices wherewith Joseph honoured out Lords Funerals John 19.40 shall lye down by his sacred side in the same fine linnen till the day dawns to the joyful marriage of a holy soul to a holy new raised body and t◠the joyful marriage of a holy Saint with a most holy Saviour the heavenly Bridegroom of his Church when all the promises shall be sanctified in accomplishment and compleatly fulfilled in all their circumces At this Resurrection Day the present joy of Faith as Faith shall end Rev. 14.2 Mat. 24 31. 1 Thes 4.16 and welcome the joy of Vision when the joyful Angels shall sound their Empyraean trumpets and the twenty four Elders shall sing melodiously to their pleasant harps made of the Algum trees of Paradise Mat. 13.43 the Song of Moses Heb. 2.12 and the song of the Lamb when Christ himself shall sing in the midst of that bright constellation of the Stars those Sons of the Morning in Zion above And when all the Saints like Kings with golden Crowns on their heads and like Priests with pure Linnen Ephods on their shoulders shall prophesie with their instruments of Musick before the Lord sitting as King and Priest upon his Throne for ever and ever Zeeh 6 13 Then the Saints shall invent new instruments of Musick like David and shall dance before the Ark of the testimony in heaven and sometimes Riding in Curule Chairs made of the Cedar of the Caelestial Lebanon shall wait upon his triumphal Chariot of Cherubims thru ' all the holy Mountains of the heavenly Canaan 1 Chron 28 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 36 8 and shall at pleasure drink of those Rivers of Eden that slide in chrystal streams from under the threshold of the Throne of God. Then shall all they who have here thirsted after the Righteousness of Christ be filled with it to the brim and shall ever sing for Joy of heart Isai 65 14 since they are sweetly and fully arrived at that Eternal and unspeakable mercy The Joy of Faith in its Glorious Vision June 11. 1685. Die Jovis at Abbots Langly in Hartfordshire FINIS